


My Heart Wants To Come Home

by senioritastyles



Series: 25 Days of Ficmas [17]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Sharing Clothes, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, malum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 06:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8879458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/senioritastyles/pseuds/senioritastyles
Summary: Calum didn't know it would be this hard, sitting in Michael's bedroom surrounded by all of his stuff packed up in boxes. He never saw himself as the sentimental clingy type but watching his best friend of eleven years put his entire life away so move off to college almost six hours away. Calum can't even count all the times he's asked Michael if he's really sure he wants to leave and every time Michael's just chuckled and nodded and kissed the top of Calum's head. It's the day before Michael has to make the drive with his parents to move into his dorm, and Calum still is refusing to accept that Michael's leaving him.
 
Or: Michael goes off to college and leaves Calum behind.





	

**Author's Note:**

> (title is from Beside You by 5 Seconds of Summer)

Calum didn't know it would be this hard, sitting in Michael's bedroom surrounded by all of his stuff packed up in boxes. He never saw himself as the sentimental clingy type but watching his best friend of eleven years put his entire life away to move off to college almost six hours away is proving him wrong on that front. Calum can't even count all the times he's asked Michael if he's really sure he wants to leave and every time Michael's just chuckled and nodded and kissed the top of Calum's head. It's the day before Michael has to make the drive with his parents to move into his dorm, and Calum still is refusing to accept that Michael's leaving him.

"So, you're sure you have to go?" He asks again, pouting weakly from his position on Michael's bed, leaning against the wall that serves as Michael's headboard.

Michael's laugh is short and a little sad. "Yeah, Cal, I'm sure."

Calum visibly deflates and he feels a little bit like he wants to cry but he's holding it back. "But....I don't want you to go." It's the first time he's ever actually admitted it and he can see that it catches Michael  off guard. "I'll miss you too much." Now he's practically whispering, looking at Michael's dark grey sheets like they're the most interesting thing in the world.

"Calum," Michael starts, sitting down next to his best friend on the bed, "I know it'll be hard, okay? We've never been separated for so long before and I'm gonna miss you like crazy. But, we'll be alright. We can FaceTime all the time, text all the time. And I'll be back for all the holidays and breaks and every other chance I get, okay? I promise, Calum."

Calum nods but his eyes are still watering and he knows he can't hold it back anymore, letting out a quiet whimper before collapsing into Michael's body, wrapping his arms as tight as he can around his best friend's neck. Michael's arms go around Calum's ribs, holding him just as tight and burying his face in Calum's shoulder. He can feel his own shoulder becoming damp where Calum is resting and he tries his best to ignore the way his heart breaks just a little bit at how upset Calum is and how much it makes him not want to go away for school. But he can't just decide to stay home, between all the money his parents have invested into this and the large scholarship the school offered him to be a part of their marine biology program, which breaks his heart even more. 

"I'm sorry, Calum, but I have to go. I don't have a choice anymore, but I promise I'm not leaving forever, just a little while. That's all." Michael tries, attempting to reassure Calum that things will be okay.

Calum pulls back just enough for Michael to see how wet and red his eyes are,  sniffling and wiping at his face as he speaks. "But, what if you go to school and meet all these cool people and just....forget about me?" 

Michael is entirely taken aback by that, eyes wide as he processes what Calum just said. "Calum Thomas, I could never forget about you even if I wanted to. You're my best friend in the entire world and going to school is not going to change that. No matter how many people I meet or how many friends I make, you'll always be my favorite."

Calum gives him a watery smile and a short laugh, cheeks flaming. "You'll always be my favorite too."

Michael smiles and kisses the top of Calum's head, a form of comfort they developed between them a few years ago and it makes Calum's smile a little more solid, which Michael is glad for. "Now, let's finish getting this stuff packed so we can watch a movie."

\---------------------------------------------------

Calum has to admit he's got no idea what to do with himself now that he can't just get up and walk through his backyard and over the set of wooden stairs they helped their dads build as kids and go to Michael's backyard, letting himself in the always unlocked back door to see his best friend. It's only been a week and a half since Michael moved into his dorm and Calum's already losing his mind with boredom and  loneliness . He's got other friends around  town, of course he does, but the problem is that he doesn't just want a friend—he wants Michael. They've already  FaceTimed three times and they haven't stopped texting for even a second unless they were sleeping, but Calum feels an absence that's bigger than what just phone conversations can fill. It makes him feel a little better that Michael has been sending him pictures of everything, trying to make him feel like he's there, and he's lounging on the couch in his basement watching cartoons when his phone buzzes on his stomach.  It's another picture from Michael, and Calum can't help but laugh when he opens it and sees the caption. In the picture, Michael is wearing Calum's oversized grey crewneck with the words 'No Morals' printed in white on the front, and the message says:  _ I don't even think I brought any of my own clothes to school ;) _ . 

Calum barks a laugh when he notices Michael is wearing a pair of his black skinny jeans too, obvious by the wear in the knees  that Michael never gets in his own jeans. Calum opens his camera and switches it to the front view, snapping a picture of himself because he happens to be wearing something of Michael's that he found in his closet this morning: a long sleeve black shirt with a big white heart on the front that has the face of a skull in it. He sends it with the message:  _ You couldn't have because I have all of your clothes here :D _ . Michael sends back a million happy face emojis along with hearts and the heart eyes face, and Calum decides that maybe this won't be so hard, being away from each other. He thinks that it'll only get easier, and he knows he's got plenty of Michael's things here that he can turn to if he really starts to miss Michael. And he also knows that distance makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, and although he's six hours away from his boy he can still feel the love , filling up every mile between them.

**Author's Note:**

> WELCOME TO DAY 17 OF FICMAS!!!!!!! Today you get some super short (my apologies :( I swear I didn't mean it) Malum fluff. This is based on me and my best friend Ashley actually, because she went off to college about 2 hours away and I get pictures from her all the time where she's wearing my old clothes (since we've been best friends for 10 years omg) and I thought it was cute and with the encouragement from Lynn (social_reject) I made it into a fic! I hope you all enjoy, please leave comments and feedback down below, and I love you<3
> 
>  
> 
> tumblr: senioritastyles & babyhemhem  
> twitter: xtraceex  
> instagram: traceethekid  
> snapchat: youngtray


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